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A new report from Brussels think-tank the Security and Defence Agenda (SDA)
has called for the setting up of a European Intelligence Agency to provide early
warning on cyber attacks and other threats.

The SDA announced the first ever findings from its 'Security Jam', a global
online brainstorming session on the challenges facing global security involving
4,000 military, diplomatic and civilian experts from 124 countries.

While most of the
recommendations
(PDF), aimed at Nato and the European Union, concerned physical security, the
threat of cyber attacks was also considered and both institutions warned that
they need to boost their intelligence in the area.

Central to this would be the creation of a European Intelligence Agency which
should act as a "clearinghouse or trusted information broker that unravels
complex hybrid threats for operational and strategic planning", said the report.

"With no physical and logical separation between defence, critical
infrastructure and commercial interests in cyber attacks, the EU Intelligence
Agency should map vulnerable targets and the possible fall-out after cyber
attacks," the report noted.

"It needs to trace potential aggressors and promote the exchange of
information between member states. Given the rapid evolution of IT, the European
Intelligence Agency should also aim at effective public-private partnerships."

The report comes just months after the House of Lords called on the EU and
Nato to take urgent steps to
improve
co-operation on cyber security, and to better co-ordinate their efforts with
those of other world powers.

The House of Lords European Union Committee said that it was shocked by the
lack of co-operation between the EU and Nato on cyber security matters, noting
that there is considerable overlap between the two institutions.